Sea & Sea Glass Dome Port

I have now used the Sea & Sea glass dome port extensively and find it gives bright results but is actually not as sharp towards the edges as the bigger plexiglass port. So, it's great for photographing big creatures in the blue but not so good for those reef shots where there are interesting things happening across the frame.

...and yes, that is me, and the shark was photographed by me too. Pictures crudely combined by Dray of Blue Horizon during a rough sea crossing!

Good to know John, I was kind of expecting that, I think the Sea&Sea plexiglass port is one of the sharpest in the market today (or should I say used to be, do they still sell it?).

Luiz

I guess what I and a lot of other Sea & Sea users really want to know is - Is the galss dome worth it over the plexiglass version?

...certainly not at the price it would be sold at in the British market! I think you would be better off with the 8inch Plexiglass dome and a can of Brasso wadding.

Great info, John.

Thanks for posting.

Alex

Aye, thanks John. It's nice to know that I'm not missing a great deal by staying with the Plexi Salad Bowl Special. I may well try out the Brasso upgrade though, after picking up a little ding in Cayman.

Cheers,

Martyn

Is Brasso really a good way to remove small scratches????

Thanks, John

What lens caused you trouble, John?

This dome is one of my favorites, I have the same piece of glass in both Sea & Sea and Nexus mounts, and it has treated me very well.

I'll agree that it isn't spectacular with the 12-24, but that isn't my favorite weapon...

The Acrylic NX Fisheye Dome Port is still available. The glass dome has much better underwater handling, doesn't attract as much dust, and does better with sunballs.

Is Brasso really a good way to remove small scratches????

 

Thanks, John

I use an abrasive paper that is used in the car painting business called wet 'n dry in a very fine grade to cut back a scratch and then polish clean with Brasso silver polish cotton wadding. It does mean that one is in danger of saying that your are retiring to your cabin to give your port a good polishing!

As to which dome port and which lens: I own and have compared ports of several manufacturers including Subal (glass), Aquatica, Sea & Sea (both glass and plexiglass), and Nexus. I have used compact domes of Seacam, Nexus and Subal. I used the 20mm Nikkor on 35mm film and both the 10.5mm and 12-24mm on DSLR.

The big plexiglass port dome of the Sea & Sea gives best edge definition. The Sea & Sea glass dome is good but not as good at the edges. The compact domes all seem to send the image sludgy at the corners.

Try "Goddard's Long Term Silver Pad Foaming Silver Polish" which looks as though it is actually jeweller's rouge with a surfactant added - I have used this in the past and found it to be very good indeed if a little slow - as its solidish you can always take a bit in a film cannister for emergency use.

Where do we get a film cannister from?

Alex

Alex

Get them while you can! I've got a little hoard myself but.......

I have a fridge full of film cannisters. What a pity they all have film in them!

By the way, I know you can't see sharpness on a 72dpi monitor through the Internet but here's the sort of result I get with the Glass dome port and 10.5mm lens.

I've asked previously but never really got a satisfactory answer -

Where exactly does this Sea & Sea glass dome fit between the Sea & Sea fisheye dome and the Sea & Sea compact dome?

Am I right in thinking from your corner sharpness comments that the glass dome is closer in charcteristics to the Sea & Sea compact dome. Is it any sharper in the corners than the compact dome?

Someone must know how the diameter/curvatture of this glass dome compares?

I've asked previously but never really got a satisfactory answer -

 

Where exactly does this Sea & Sea glass dome fit between the Sea & Sea fisheye dome and the Sea & Sea compact dome?

 

Am I right in thinking from your corner sharpness comments that the glass dome is closer in charcteristics to the Sea & Sea compact dome. Is it any sharper in the corners than the compact dome?

 

Someone must know how the diameter/curvature of this glass dome compares?

I have never owned the Sea & Sea compact dome but I can tell you the edge sharpness of the glass port is better than that of the compact domes I have got. However, I recommend the bigger plexiglass dome. It cannot be beaten in edge sharpness - unless someone out there knows better! Enc shot with 12-24 at 12mm.

Hi John,

Out of interest, is that shot with your +2 dioptre on? Either way it makes me more optimistic about my 16-35mm in the plexiglass dome. Good corners!

Cheers,

Martyn

Yes Plus2 dioptre.

JB

Judging by a thread about Canon wide-angle results and corner sharpness, I an slapping myself on the back for staying with Nikon and Sea & Sea. Corner sharpness is really important if someone else is cropping your shots.

John

If you read my last post you will see that I reckon there to be little difference between Nikon/Canon and wides unless you know of a dome which can defy the laws of optics!

And just to be difficult (which I'm good at), if a shots being cropped wasn't it shot on too short a lens......!!!